PS172 is a small Brooklyn school with barely enough room for the children and staff that are there everyday. We don't have the means nor the infrastructure to properly maintain and care for the safety of both the students and the asylum seekers.

There are many obvious reasons why this school isn't equipped to handle an influx of migrants in need of housing and safety, some of which are detailed below.

- Construction: 

Our school is currently undergoing massive construction with three stories of scaffolding, significantly reducing access to the standalone gym. The main entrance of the construction site is located less than ten feet from the gym entrance, posing safety risks.

- Methods of Egress: 

Creating a safety barrier between students/staff and asylum seekers blocks a mandated method of egress, leading to potential direct contact between elementary students and asylum seekers.

- Sanitation Facilities: 

The construction work has limited the availability of proper sanitation facilities. Our gym has only one adult-sized toilet and four child-sized toilets, with no showers. Finding alternative offsite locations for these facilities is challenging due to the blocked street and construction offices.

- Overutilization of Space: 

Our gym is essential to daily operations, including physical education instruction, after-school programming, enrichment club activities, and schoolwide events. Losing the gym space would negatively impact or potentially cancel these programs.

- Safety and Well-being: 

The lack of organization and leadership in response to the influx of asylum seekers should not compromise the safety and well-being of everyone involved. Our school should not be treated as a motel or hotel.

Considering these concerns, help us urge Mayor Adams to explore alternative solutions that prioritize safety and respect for all individuals. Other options, such as the Park Slope Armory, the Sunset Park Recreation Center, and Industry City, should be considered before elementary school gyms.

Our school is a vital part of the Sunset Park community, and it must remain a safe space for our children to learn, play, and grow. Transforming our gym into a shelter is a reckless decision imposed on an inappropriate site and threatens the safety of everyone involved.